A genetic variant associated withactive, sociable and bold personalityincreases life expectancy in humans, as researchers from the University of California at Irvine (USA) have just shown in a study published in the journalThe Journal of Neuroscience.
It is a variant of the gene for the receptor for dopamine, the pleasure neurotransmitter, which facilitates the transmission of signals related to attention and reward between neurons. In concept, theDRD4 7R allelethe research talks about increases the ability to react to what surrounds us, andthose who have it incorporated into their genome feel more motivated to develop physical, intellectual, social activities …Although it is also linked to addictive, dangerous and even reckless behaviors. “Although the genetic variant that we have identified does not directly prolong life, it is associated with personality traits that contribute to a healthier and longer life: after all, it has been shown that cThe more we participate in social activities and physical activities, the longer we tend to live“says Robert Moyzis, biochemist and co-author of the study.
The results are based on genetic samples from more than three hundred elderly people over 90 years of age (nonagenarians) who participated in the90+ Study, an initiative launched in 2003 in the United States to identifywhat factors contribute to certain human beings achieving “extreme longevity”.
